"Hybrid" bikes have never made any sense to me.
A rigid mountain bike with nice and wide Marathon, Big Apple or Supermoto tyres would be miles better.
Just as fast or faster but much more comfortable and versatile.

Wrong! It is absolutely no problem fitting fenders on suspended forks. I have done many, and never had a problem.

You really should not make blanket statements like that.

What kind of trail? For the MUP type of trail the OP is interested, the hybrid is an excellent choice. There might be better choices like a cross or a touring bike but those could easily fall out of the OPs budget,

Given your requirements, above, if your LBS is recommending a bike with a suspended fork then it is time to seek out a new LBS because they are full of beans IMHO. There is no need for you to need a suspended fork on regular bike paths unless you have a physical condition that requires an especially cushy ride. Those forks are just another source of something that can go wrong and is extra weight that you really don't need.

Plus unless you plan on doing some touring on bad roads or rough bike trails, the 38C tires are to wide. 32C at the widest.

They advised the Felt QX80D for many reasons based on the info I gave them from this thread. Reasonable weight, Hybrid, Wider tyres, Reasonable gearing, within budget, hydraulic brakes, etc. The reason he stated to get the suspended forks is because they can be locked as if they were not suspended and the bike is a very good price so it is cheaper to get the suspended forks then not to. He also said that whist the bike would be good for my daily work commute it would also take a little more throwing about on tracks and things as it has the right tyres and the suspended forks if I need them. As my OP states I want this bike for my work commute but also for weekend trips and long rides (maybe up to 40 mile round trips) please advise

I still say you don't need the suspension. Most people I know that had them ride around with them locked all the time, they had wished they never ordered the bike with them in the first place. While that bike might be cheaper in the short term in very well could be more expensive and troublesome in the long run. You need to consider that.

38C tire will be fine for longer rides, many people use them at that distance and more when doing touring. You just need to remember you speed will be limited and you will need to put in a significant more effort to cover the same distance than a narrower tire. Not sure how bad those tracks you mention are in your part of the world but I have been on some pretty lousy streets both here and in Europe, with touring gear and 28C on my road bike suited me just fine.

My hybrid has 32C tires and I really hate riding it on the street. Even that is too much effort for me compared to my road bike. But I suppose if I had to compromise with one bike for everything, I would go with the hybrid at 32C but I certainly would not want a tire / wheel any narrower.

If you are sold on that bike, you should check to see if they can first it with narrower tires. Most LBSs will so a swap at no cost. But at that wide of a tire for starter you may not be able to go narrower. It is going to depend on the wheel.

And I am not sure why you are sold on hydraulic brakes. The v Brakes on my hybrid have suited me just fine in all types of conditions. You would be better off getting a good get of vbrakes instead of a budget get of hydraulics. Like the suspension, there is much more to go wrong with hydraulics. You can easily maintain your own vbrakes, same might not be able to be said about hydraulics.

I don't think it matters what kind of trail unless the trail is groomed hard pack. The lighter weight feels fast and easy, but the lack of tire and frame make them dogs in the dirt. Either way, it sounds like this dude just needs a road bike with flat bars, slightly more forgiving tires, maybe a suspended front, and a more upright position, like a typical commuter.

Probably you're right; it has been a few years since I last did a hybrid suspension fork with a fender, and the bridge was too narrow to clear the fender required for 35mm tires. I cut notches to make it work, and had to use zip ties to secure it at the bridge, but it worked. If fork makers are more cognizant of those kinds of rider needs, that's a good thing, although I'm in Spinnaker's camp here in that the OP would be better served without suspension at all.

Okay, guys, snarkiness begets snarkiness, we got that part. Let's leave the gloves on and get back on topic, ok?

Thanks for your post, If im honest im probably getting caught up with a I could have this and could have that when going on about hydraulic brakes etc. Can you advise on what TEKTRO BX-1, V Type brakes are like. would they be considered to be reasonable to decent? also can you clarify on tyres for me 32C would you say they would be ok and reasonably quick for road / path use. (lets ignore tracks and gravel for now as that's not my main uses). In particular im looking at the charge grater when I ask the above questions its within budget and seems to get good reviews and write ups. How good would it be on my commute and for longer trips (say 40 - 50 miles). The bike I have now if it makes any difference is called a silverfox orb and as I say in my OP is a bit of an argos "special" job. Surly anything is going to be a step in the right direction?

V Brakes are what is used on many, many hybrids. I have TEKTRO brakes on my Trek FX and have never had any issues with them.

As I said above the 32C would be a good choice for all around riding. At that size wheel range you might be able fit a 30C or 28C or even 26C that you could pop on for longer road rides.

If by trail you mean a paved bicycle path then you really might want to consider a road bike either with dropped or flat bars. If you mean the path is crushed limestone then a road bike with wider tires would work but you still might be better off with a hybrid, as even the best crushed limestone trails will have their rough stops making a bike with a slightly wider tire more desirable.

I am not family with Surly's other offers other than the Long Haul Trucker. But at that price point I am willing to bet they have nothing in the "budget" category. But the Long Haul Trucker certainly is an excellent choice if you don't mind a slower ride. Plenty of people use it for commutes. The bike is almost indestructible. Should you want to move to touring, while nothing prevents you from using the road bike or hybrid, the Long Haul Trucker is the desired bike by many tourers.

I've heard the saying and I believe it having had all styles. I had a hybrid, OK on the road but not much better than a rigid MTB with 1.5 slicks.

Tried to take the hybrid on light off road, not happy! Gets stuck in the shallow dirt and grass. A rigid MTB with sicks, I could ride through anything. Ended up walking the hybrid through small obstacles several times.

Heck, I once took my hard tail MTB (front suspension) and knobby tires on the paved trail to see what I could do, cranked out a 19 average over a 20 mile section. Plenty fast for most recreational riders.

If it were me, I'd go with a rigid MTB. If you want speed, go with a road bike, forget the hybrid. ;)

Quite a few people up in Hybrids would tell that is the definition of a Hybrid ;).

That was part of the joke, skippy. Glad someone was paying attention.

In your case, I would get a hybrid. They're faster than mtb, you don't need suspension imo for what you are going to do with the bike, and hybrids are just a lot more versatile than mountain bikes.

Spinnaker, can you maybe advise some bikes that may be worth taking a look at keeping in mind my £500 budget I don't have the money to look at a long haul trucker unless I can pick one up used at a good price. Thanks

I really can't give a specific brand. I have no idea what is available in Europe. My hybrid is a Trek. I would assume it is available there too. You really can't go wrong with Trek but you might very well have other choices that are just as good or better at the same price.

My road bike is a Canonadale, Another good choice. Better when I bought mine as it was built about a 3 hour drive from my home. Sadly they are being buit in Taiwan these days.

dude, with everything that's been said in this thread, i seriously answered your question in the 2nd post....

OK, Based on the giant escape 3 vs trek fx 7.1. would you advise one over the other?? the trek seems to be about £70 more expensive but still well under budget and it also has wider tyres (35c) vs 32c on the giant. Thanks also to clarify thinner tyres would be better on longer runs but a little wider on the commute or have I mistaken

Whichever one feels better while you're riding it. The overall 'fit' of the bike is of more importance than the bits and bobs hanging off of the frame, as that stuff can be swapped/upgraded over time based upon tastes/goals/finances.

Both are excellent bicycles, Ride both and see what you like. The 7.2 will get you a little better components and the 7.3 even better. At that end of the spectrum, performance of components aren't going to matter to much. What your are supposedly buying is longevity. You should get more miles out of the better components but if you are hard on things then you might break them before you wear them out and it is not going to matter much what you buy.

Do pay close attention to the operation of the controls. Sometimes groupsets operate a little differently. Be sure you are happy with what you buy. I purchased a bike with a cheaper groupset on my road bike. I did not like the operation of the shifter, took the bike back and bought one with a better groupset.

Of course if you are basically happy with what you buy, you could always upgrade as things wear out and you realize you are riding the bike instead of hanging clothes on it as happens to so many bikes.

And yes for about the 20th time, thinner tires will be better for pavement. And again, your LBS should be able to swap out tires for you. You should be able to go to a 32c or even 30C, maybe even 28. Same goes for other components like a saddle or maybe you want to swap out the flat bar for a treking bar if they have them in stock.


Once you settled on a bike, get them to put the thinner tires on, go for a ride and you will see the difference.

Are thinner tyres harder to ride on, I do not mean harder as in a rougher rider, I mean more difficult and unstable if you have not ridden a bike for many years. all the advice on here points too 28 to 32 tyres maximum. what would the 700 38c tyres be used for, I only ask as that's what was on the bike my LBS advised.

they are naturally harder to balance on - it's like trying to walk on a balance beam vs a tightrope. its still doable, just takes getting used to.
i was a little wobbly on more narrow tires when i first tried them, but like anything, you'll adapt quickly. i wouldn't worry about it.

unless you're http://www.mentalfloss.com/sites/def...ycle-twins.jpg

as for the difference in the giant vs the trek, it really comes down to brand preference, color options, looks, and feel. there are things i really love about the different Escape models, and things i love about the different FX models. they both have about the same components, and are pretty close in price.
find what's available at your LBS, ride them, play with the shifters, see which one is comfy, which one comes with better stock tire sizes, and just go with it.
chances are if you go with either of them, you won't regret it either way.

Im very keen to look at the Trek 7.2 looks like a nice bike. with maybe a change of tyres. has 700 35c as standard. any idea how small they will go? 32 30 28?